US and Russia accuse UN General Assembly President Baerbock of overstepping authority

Procedural dispute over selection rules

Tensions have surfaced at the United Nations in New York as the appointment process for the successor to Secretary-General António Guterres enters its decisive phase. General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock introduced several procedural adjustments during her term, advocating for shorter debates, smarter scheduling, and greater transparency across the 193-member body. Baerbock specifically urged member states to consider selecting a female leader to succeed Guterres, who is stepping down at the end of December 2026 after a ten-year tenure. Her initiatives included organizing public candidate debates broadcast internationally, where audience members were invited to vote on contenders for the first time in UN history. In addition, Baerbock sent formal letters to the UN Security Council requesting that it exclude candidates who refused to participate in dialogues with the General Assembly. Under the UN Charter, the 15-member Security Council negotiates behind closed doors to recommend a single candidate, whom the General Assembly then formally appoints.

Washington and Moscow lodge objections

The procedural changes met strong pushback from the United States and Russia, both of which hold permanent veto power on the Security Council. On Wednesday, US diplomat Jennifer Locetta accused Baerbock of exceeding her official authority and acting like a diplomatic superstar rather than an administrative leader. Locetta asserted that the Security Council maintains full legal discretion to evaluate any contender, including those who decline to participate in General Assembly hearings.

The President's actions reveal hypocrisy and cast a poor light overall on the work of the General Assembly.

On Thursday, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia voiced similar objections, stating that Moscow viewed the role Baerbock was attempting to claim for her office with concern. Both delegations argued that the public hearings and audience voting infringe on confidential selection procedures reserved for the Security Council.

Berlin defends General Assembly role

Officials in Berlin and circles within the General Assembly firmly rejected the criticisms from Washington and Moscow. The German Foreign Office stated that the General Assembly plays a central role in the selection process, recalling that the 193 member states had passed a resolution the previous year demanding broader transparency. German officials emphasized that presenting the candidate field to all member states does not diminish the Security Council's Charter-mandated authority to recommend the next Secretary-General.

A transparent selection process for the future Secretary-General of the United Nations is of fundamental importance for Germany as a major contributor and member of the General Assembly.

German diplomats maintained that delegates require open access to contenders in order to make an informed choice when the final appointment vote takes place. Baerbock, whose one-year term as General Assembly President concludes in September 2026, had previously drawn friction with Moscow over the war in Ukraine and with US Republicans over political commentary.

Candidate field and early voting

The diplomatic dispute centers on a field of eight declared candidates, which currently consists of five women from Latin America and three men from Latin America and Africa. Rebeca Grynspan, the 70-year-old head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development and former vice president of Costa Rica, secured the highest vote tally during an informal Security Council straw poll in late July 2026. Grynspan previously mediated the 2022 agreement between Kyiv and Moscow to allow safe agricultural exports from Ukrainian ports. Another prominent contender is 74-year-old former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who previously served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and authored a report on China's treatment of the Uyghur minority. While Brazil and Mexico support Bachelet's bid, Chile's administration under President José Antonio Kast withdrew its national endorsement, and US Republicans have opposed her over her stance on abortion rights. Former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister and past General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa has also entered the race, calling for institutional reform.